3 Descend, celestial Dove, With all thy quickening powers; And bless the sacred hours: Hayward, in Dobell's Selection. Title: "Sabbath Morning." Only one word has been changed. The author wrote the last line: "Nor Sabbaths be indulg'd in vain." Dobell's New Selection, 1806, was a book of special value in its day. It contained many new hymns by various authors. Some of them are still in common use. "Hayward" is simply a name. Nothing is known of this author. 2 On thee, at the creation, The light first had its birth; 3 To-day on weary nations The silver trumpet calls, 4 New graces ever gaining The Church her voice upraises To thee, blest Three in One. "Sunday" is the title which this hymn bears in the author's volume titled The Holy Year; or, Hymns for Sundays and Holydays, 1862, where it appears as the opening hymn. The fact that the author is a nephew of William Wordsworth, the poet, adds interest to this hymn. The two omitted stanzas are: 2 While we pray for pardoning grace, Through the dear Redeemer's name, Show thy reconciled face, Take away our sin and shame; 3 Here we come thy name to praise; 4 May thy gospel's joyful sound John Newton. From Olney Hymns, 1779. The author's title was "Saturday Evening." Several lines have been changed to adapt it to Sunday singing. One stanza, the second, has been omitted: Mercies multiplied each hour, Through the week our praise demand; Guarded by Almighty power, Fed and guided by his hand; Though ungrateful we have been, Only made returns of sin. 70 A L. M. NOTHER six days' work is done; Improve the day thy God hath blest. 2 O that our thoughts and thanks may rise, As grateful incense, to the skies; And draw from Christ that sweet repose 3 This heavenly calm within the breast 4 In holy duties let the day, In holy comforts, pass away; Joseph Stennett. To show thy love by morning light, 2 Sweet is the day of sacred rest; No mortal cares shall seize my breast; 3 When grace has purified my heart, 4 Then shall I see, and hear, and know 3 My heart shall triumph in my Lord, 4 Fools never raise their thoughts so high; 6 Sin, my worst enemy before, Nor Satan break my peace again. The first couplet of the third stanza has been transposed and changed. Watts wrote: But I shall share a glorious part The original of this hymn contains fourteen stanzas, of which the above are the first, tenth, eleventh, and thirteenth. The author was pastor of a Seventh-Day Bap-lication, 1719. It is not otherwise altered. Date of pub HE dawn of God's dear Sabbath Breaks o'er the earth again, As some sweet summer morning It comes as cooling showers 2 And we would bring our burden So few bright laurels won! 3 And with that sorrow mingling, The pardon that we need; And own, as grateful sacrifice, The songs which from thy servants rise. 2 Thine earthly Sabbaths, Lord, we love; 3 No more fatigue, no more distress, 4 No rude alarms of raging foes, No cares to break the long repose; It is found in Hymns Founded on Various Texts in the Holy Scriptures, by P. Doddridge; edited by Job Orton, 1755. In the last line of the first stanza the author wrote: "The songs which from the Desert rise." In the last line of the second stanza the original is: "With ardent Pangs of strong Desire." The third line of the third stanza originally read: "Groans to mingle with the Songs." One stanza, the fifth, has been omitted: 2 Night her solemn mantle spreads 4 Still the Spirit lingers near, 75 A HYMNS TO THE TRINITY. C. M. THOUSAND oracles divine Their common beams unite, That sinners may with angels join To worship God aright. also was suggested by a passage in the Night Thoughts, as will be seen at a glance by comparing the last line in the stanza just quoted with the last of the following four lines from Dr. Young: This theme is man's, and man's alone; Their vast appointments reach it not: they see On earth a bounty not indulged on high, And downward look for Heaven's superior praise! Charles Wesley, writing in July, 1754, says: "I began once more transcribing Young's Night Thoughts. No writings but the inspired are more useful to me." Not only were these individual verses inspired by Dr. Young, but his Hymns on the Trinity were really suggested by a volume by Rev. William Jones, of the Established Church, titled The Catholic Doctrine of a Trinity proved by above an hundred short & clear arguments, expressed in the terms of Holy Scripture. It was first published in 1754, and in a new and enlarged edition in 1767. Following the order and using the Scriptures quoted in this book, Wesley wrote a hymn for each. That Wesley's phraseology was sometimes derived from this volume will be seen by comparing the first verse of the hymn above with the following sentence taken from the preface of Mr. Jones's book: "In the fourth and last chapter the passages of the Scripture have been laid together and made to unite their beams in one common center, the Unity of the Trinity." 2 O Holy Father, who hast led thy children In all the ages, with the fire and cloud, Through seas dry-shod, through weary wastes bewildering, To thee, in reverent love, our hearts are bowed. 3 O Holy Jesus, Prince of Peace and Saviour, To thee we owe the peace that still prevails, Stilling the rude wills of men's wild behavior, And calming passion's fierce and stormy gales. 4 O Holy Ghost, the Lord and the Life-giver, Thine is the quickening power that gives increase; From thee have flowed, as from a pleasant river, Our plenty, wealth, prosperity, and peace. 5 O Triune God, with heart and voice adoring, Praise we the goodness that doth crown our days; Pray we that thou wilt hear us, still imploring Thy love and favor, kept to us always. 2 Thousands, tens of thousands, stand, Spirits blest, before thy throne, Speeding thence at thy command, And, when thy behests are done, Singing everlastingly To the blessed Trinity. 3 Cherubim and seraphim Veil their faces with their wings; 4 Thee apostles, prophets thee, Thee, the church in every land; To the blessed Trinity. 5 Hallelujah! Lord, to thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, To the blessed Trinity. Christopher Wordsworth. Title: "Trinity Sunday." From the author's Holy Year, London, 1862. The original has eight stanzas; these are verses one, three, four, five, and eight, unaltered. This is a singable hymn that any congregation can use with joy and profit. It is This was written in 1886. In reply to a letter inquiring as to the origin of this hymn, Bishop Doane replied as follows in based upon, and was no doubt inspired by, a letter dated August 20, 1907: The hymn to which you refer was written to be sung at the bicentenary of the charter of Albany as a city. Of course it was not exactly in its present shape then, but was somewhat changed in form when the committee decided to put it in our Church Hymnal. This is not a matter of very great importance, but gives you the facts about which you ask. Bishop Doane has given us here a most valuable hymn to the Trinity, each of the three Persons of the Godhead being addressed in succeeding stanzas. |